Window regulator



J. E. LENAHAN WINDOW REGULATOR Filed May 21, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 twi lfls INVENTOR Fm. a

ATTORNEY J. E. LENAHAN WINDOW REGULATOR Filed May 21, 1925 2 Sheet-Shet2 v INVENTOR 1 FIG. 8. j asc bm age/5 Lam ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 2,i924.

ATE

WINDOW REGULATOR.

Application filed May 21, 1923. Serial No. 640,542.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. LENAHAN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State ofMichigan, have invented a new and useful Window Regulator, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention has reference to that class of devices which areknown as closure operators, and is particularly designed for opening,shutting, and stabilizing windows in automobiles and other coveredvehicles, as well as in stationary structures.

The chief object of the invention to produce an improved regulatingmechanism, of the nature referred to, whereby a window-sash or similarclosure can be easily and conveniently moved in any way desired. andwill he securely retained in its assigned position, whether the same beentirely or partially open, or shut, according to requirements.

A supplementary object, in producing the said mechanism, is so toconstruct and combine the component parts thereof that they shall be inpermanent engagement with one another, and rendered severally immovahlethrough the setting of their own actuating means, when the closure hasbeen brought into the required position, thus op erating to hold thelatter firmly at all times and keep it normally free from vibration.

A further object resides in devising for the mechanism aforesaid asimple, strong, and durable construction whereby the same is adapted tomove the closure positively during both the opening and shutting operations. while keeping it well poised always and in smooth runningcondition.

.Another object is to provide a locking eiemenl for the said actuatingmeans, so applied to the regulating mechanism that it will admit ofbeing folded thereover when not in operation, in such manner that nopart of the said element will then stand out and be exposed to catch ina persons clothing, or injure in any *ay the article with which itmayoome into contact.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obviousand in part he more fully brought out in the detailed descriptionthereof hereinafter contained.

The invention consists of the novel improvements, parts, combinations,and features of construction herein. slown and de scribed, and pointedout in the appended claims.

eferring to the accompanying drawings, for a detailed description of theinvent1on,

Figure 1 is a frontelevation of this improved regulating mechanism, asit appears before being applied to a door or window sash, or a similarclosure;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation, the section being on the line fi-2 of the preceding figure, looking toward theleft;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section onthe line 3-3'of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the upwardly pointed arrows;

Fig. 4 is a similar section on the line 4- i of Fig. 1, but looking inan opposite direction, as the downwardly pointed arrows indicate;

Fig. 5 is a face View, on an enlarged scale,

showing the greater part of the actuating means for the regulatingmechanism, with the locking element thereof in an open position;

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan, illustratin the. manner of connecting thesaid actuating means and locking element to a door or window, part ofwhich appears in transverse section;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view, representing the said locking element foldedover the actuating means, both being shown as detached from theregulating mechanism; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view, giving the outline of a vehicle doorprovided with a sash operating and regulating mechanism of the formexemplified by the foregoing figures.

Corresponding parts are designated by similar reference charactersthroughout the specification and accompanying drawings.

.As shown in Figures 1 to 4, "inclusive, the invention includes a plate,indicated by the numeral. 11, and intended toserve as sup port for themechanism hereinafter described. hen applied to a vehicle door, as 12 inFigs. 6 and 8, the plate 11 is placed upright, preferably within thebottom section thereof, where it stands in a recess 13, to one side ofthe pocket usuallyprovided to re. ceive the door-sash 1d, at such timesas the latter is brought down. By preference also, the plate ispositioned centrally with respect to the sash 14:, which slidesalongside the same. The plate may be of elongate rec: tangular shape, asseen in Figs. l and 8,

and somewhat longer than the sash to be operated thereby. 1t isequipped, near its. lower end, with a hook-like retainer 15, adapted totake over a transverse member of the door, and it may further be heldfirmly in position by suitable fastenings.

The element affords a convenient means for suspending 01' anchoring thesupporting plate from a point above the lower end thereof, so that itcan be made to reach down unobstructed to the bottom of the pocket thatreceives the sash, or in other words the light-transmitting member,which being relatively shorter may be lowered to the fullest extent.

A screw-tln'eaded or spirally-grooved shaft 18 is mounted longitudinallyin front of the plate 11., so as to rotate opposite the center thereof,preferably. This shaft is journalled in bearings 19 and 20, respectiv lyprovided at its upper and lower extrenr ities, and held laterally fromthe corresponding ends of the plate. The said bearings may be attacheddirectly to the plate, for instance to some integral, outwardlybentportions thereof, as shown at 21, in the upper part of Figs. 1, and 23,or they may be secured separately to brackets, as 22, carried by theplate in the manner indicated at the bottom of Figs. 1, 2 and 4-.

An interiorly threaded element 25, substantially in the form a nut,engages the exterior threads or grooves of the abovementioned shaft 18,in such a way as to be translatable vertically thereon, that is, eitherup or down, through the shafts rotation. This element has wings or sideextensions 26, 27 (Fig. 4-) by means of which it is rigidly fastened toa transversely-(iisposed steadying member 28, the opposite extremitieswhereof are bent so as to engage guideways 29, 30, formed at thevertical edges of the plate 11. The member 28 is thereby held slidablyfrom both sides of the plate, and the element connected thereto ismaintained in constant operative engagement with the spirally groovedshaft. Thus mounted and steadied, the said element is made to performthe function of a sash-carrier, and for the latter purpose it isfurnished with a pin or stud 31, projecting outwardly from the face ofthe memher 28, and entering a suitable socket or perforation at thebottom of the sash, in a manner that will be readily understood. Theinternally threaded element, as will he noted, is placed intermediatelyof the sashbearing stud and the pair of guides eugaged by the steadyingmember, and therefore is well positioned to prevent it from binding onthe spirally-grooved shaft and insure its smooth running.

Spur-gearing is preferably employed for rotating the shaft 18, andthereby translat ing the carrier 25, with its stud engaging the sash14:, as above stated. In the present form. of the invention, the gearingincludes a pinion 34-, fixed to the upper end of the shaft 18, close tothe bearing 19 thereof; a relatively large cog-wheel 35, in mesh withthe said pinion, at right angles to the same; and a smaller spur-wheel36, meshing edgewise into the said cog-wheel in the usual manner. Thespur-wheel 36 is the actuating gear, and therefore is furnished with acrank 37, of peculiar construction, that will presently be described.The arrangement of the several. parts of the gearing is clearly shown inFigs. 1 to 8. As there represented, the pinion 34; is placedhorizontally at the uper end of the upright shaft 18, entirely withinthe overhanging portion 21 of the plate 11. The two geai;'-\\'lieels aad 36, on the other hand, are mounted so as to turn vertically insuperposed relation, in a plane parallel to that of the plate, betweenthe latter and the shaft. The gear 35 is in the nature of an idler, andpreferably made to turn loose upon a stationary axle 38, passing throughthe plate and upset or enlarged at the ends to form confining disks, as39, designed to maintain this gear in proper position intermediately ofthe pinion 34k and the actuating wl eel 36, with both of which it isengaged. The latter-named wheel may be double the size of the pinion34-, and the intermediate gear 35 twice as large again. as illustrated.According to this mode of construction, one turn of the crank 37, fixedto the actuating wheel, will cause two revolutions of the pinion and ofthe spirallygILOOVQCl shaft rotated thereby, the intei mediate gearbeing employed to transmit the motion. It is understood that theintermediate gear does not alter the velocity ratio of the actuatinggear and pinion, but the use thereof enables them to revolve conjointlyin the same direction, that is, either to the right or to the left asthe case may be, and its size further insures an appreciablen'iechanical advantage in translating the sash-carrier engaged by thespirally-grooreil Shaft. The teeth of the several parts of thespur-gearing, it ma he'noted, are approximately square at the base. andtruncated to a greater or less extent. to permit their grouping in themanner hero shown and descrilfied. which obvi te having course tobevel-gears for tr; era-lug motion to the pinion 3 51; from the wheels:5 and 36, and coi'iserpieutly a tfords a more compact and economicalconstruction.

It will be noticed upon inspection of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, that theintermediate gearovhcel 35 acts in a double capacity. first intransmitting motion without change of direction from the spiir gear 36to the pinion 3 1-, and secondly by suitably spacing the former from thelatter. The sash or light-transmitting member 14, in order to providefor the full as well as the partial opening and closing thereof pursuantto one of the expressed objects of the invention, is preferably made ofa length approximately equal to the distance intervening between theflanged terminals of the plate 11, as clearly indicated in Fig. 8, andits carrier, consisting of the internally threaded element and stud-31(Figs. 1, 2 and 4t) connected with the bottom of the said sash ormember, has a free course along the entire shaft 18, ranging from thepinion 34 at the upper end of the latter down to the lowermost bearing20 of the same. This enables the sash or member let to be loweredsufficiently to clear the ledge of the opening of which it constitutesthe closure, and also to rise high enough to close the opening to thefullest extent. The upper end of the shaft, with the pinion 34 thereon,is brought up as close to the said opening as is consistent with goodpractice in connecting the said carrier to the sash or member 14. On theother hand, if the crank 37 that turns the actuating gear 36 werelocated near the ledge of the opening as in some other constructions, itwould be apt to catch in the garments of a person leaning against theledge 01' reaching across the opening. To obviate that defect, thepresent invention aims to place the crank as far down from the ledge asmay be desirable, and therefore the actuating gear revolved thereby isspaced from the pinion on the shaft in a. corresponding manner. In theembodiment of the invention herein illustrated, a single idlerinterposed between the pinion 3A and the gear 36, suffices to accomplishthe contemplated results, inasmuch as it permits locating the crank at afair distance below the closure, and at the same time allows thesashcarrier tobe moved. past the actuating gear to or from the pinion onthe upper end of the shaft.

Figs. 2 and 5 to 8, inclusive, illustrate in detail the preferred methodof constructing and applying the crank o7, hereinbefore mentioned. Thiscrank is secured to an axle d2, pertaining to the actuating gear-wheel36. and passed through the plate 11 and the adjoining panel of the door12. On the opposite side of the plate from the actuating gear is placeda washer 43, against which bears a collar 44., formed around the axle.The middle portion of the latter is made round, as well as the collarencircling it, to enable the same to turn smoothly in a bear ingprovided therefor in the door panel. Thence the axle is made to projecta pre determined distance from the inner face of the door, sufficient toconnect it operatively with the other parts of the actuating means, ashereinafter explained.

A holding plate 46, extending laterally from the projecting part of thesaid axle 42,

r is fastened to the inner face of the door 12,

for instance by a screw 47. The latternamed plate is preferably formedwith a marginal flange 48, arranged to bear upon a cloth sheet, as 49,usually applied as a finish over the surface of the door, on the inside.

The flange, it will be noted, keeps the plate raised or spaced from thedoors surface and the sheet of cloth spread thereover. The round portionof the axle 42 also passes through both of the latter and rotates withinthe same. i

The said projecting part of the axle a2 terminates outside the plate 46,and the exteriorly extended end ther'eofissquared or made angular, as at52, to engage a correspond- K ingly-shaped aperture in the centralportion of a rotaary head 53, affording both a support and a flexibleconnection, next to be de scribed, for the arm of the crank 37,previously mentioned, or other operating element. Upon the end 52 restsa washer 54, lodged in a recess within the bottom of the head 53, whichis prevented from sliding ofi the said end by a screw 55, entering thelatter through this washer.

Guards 58 and 59 are provided on opposite sidesof the rotary head 53,and to one end of these guards is hinged a corresponding end of thecrank-arm 37, by means 'of'a transversely-disposed pin 60. The hingedend of the crank-arm is of suflicient width to fill the gap intermediatethe two guards, between which it can be swung soas to close and openafter the manner of a knife-blade. It will be observed that thecrank-arm is of nearly the same length as the holding plate 456, andfolds thereover upon being swung inward about the hinge-pin 60, theparts then changing their relative positions, as indicated in Figs. 6and 7, respectively. In its open or unfolded position, the crank-arm isarranged to bear upon an abutment 61,

provided between the guards 58, 59. which keeps it from swinging too farbackwards and consequently holds its free end far enough out to enablethe same to clear the adjacent plate 46, while the head 53 is beingrotated. When the crank-arm is closed or folded, the hinged end thereoflies over the rotary head, and its free end rests upon the contiguousextremity of the holding plate. A small concavity 62 is formed in theinner face of the hinged end, as seen in Fig 6, to afford a clearancefor the head of the screw 55, when the crank-arm is closed or folded.

At or near the free, outer end of the crank-arm 37, is provided awrist-pin 65, serving to turn the latter and thereby to rotate the head53, axle 42, and gear-wheel 36, which actuates the sash-regulatingmechanism, upon being revolved in either direction. A knob or roller 66,of spool-like formation, is slipped over the pin 65, to facilitate themanipulation thereof in turning the crank-arm, When the crank-arm isfolded lot) over the holding plate 4L6, the knobrbearin g wrist-pin isentered in a pocket orreceiver 67, provided for it at the adjacent endof the plate. Thus, the wrist-pin is not only put out of the way, but itentirely disappears from view, so as to be normally unseen, for instanceby the occupants of the vehicle or other structure furnished with theregulating mechanism, the wrist-pin remaining concealed in its inactiveposition until deliberately retracted by a person knowing how to handleit, to operate the mechanism either for opening or closing the door orwindow sash. In this folded position, the crank-arm acts as a lock forthe mechanism, inasmuch as the rotary head, axle, and gear-wheel whichit controls cannot then be turned.

By preference, the receiver 67 is made of resilient metal, with twoopposite sides flanged, as at 68, 69, to afford a means of attachment tothe plate 46, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The intervening sides of thereceiver, on the other hand, are loose and terminate short of theholding plate, as indicated at 71, so that they can clasp between themthe head of the knob 66 on the wrist pin 65, and exert thereon asuflicient spring pressure to steady the crank-arm and counteract thejarring or jolting motion that may be imparted to it by a vehicleprovided with the said mechanism.

Another resilient element, preferably in the shape of a leaf-spring 74;,is placed at the inner, hinged end of the crank-arm 37. As shown inFigs. 5 and 6, this spring is laid flat upon the central portion of thehead 53, between the guards 58 and 59, It is held in its functionalposition on the head 53 by rivets 75, driven into one side of the same,and further is provided with a rectangular opening 76, through which thehead of the screw 53 may project outwardly. At its free end, the springis bent out close to the abutment 61, as best seen in Fig. 6, inposition to bear against the hinged end of the crank-arm, whether thelatter be open or closed. In either case, the spring 7 1 operates tostay the crank-arm, as will be readily perceived.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as novel and desire tosecure protection in, by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A window regulator including, in combination with a sash slidable inand out of a recess adapted fully to receive the same, a shaft rotatablewithin said recess, a carrier for said sash serving to move it eitherway at option through rotation of said shaft, a pinion secured to oneend of the latter, an actuating gear located inwardly with relation tosaid end of the shaft at some distance from said pinion, an intermediatepower-transmitting connection, and a motion-imparting element attachedto said gear, said connection enabling said sash carrier to travel alongthe shaft to and from the pinion past the actuating gear while servingto space said element with respect to the entrance of the recess.

2. In a window regulator, the combination with a sash operatingmechanism in cluding an actuating element, of a laterally projectinghead thereon, a crank flexibly connected with said head, and means onthe latter serving to hold said crank substantially parallel theretowhen in an open position.

3. In a window regulator, the combination of a sash operating mechanisminclu ling a rotatable axle, of a laterally projecting head on one endof the latter, a crankarm hinged to opposite sides of said head, and anabutment intermediate of said sides positioned to hold said crank-arm ina plane substantially parallel to that of the head when swung open aboutits hinge connection.

